Jimmy Giggle's Christmas Party: WIN tickets + album release

Jimmy Giggle!

Mention his name and kids go kinda nuts... and with good reason! Jimmy Giggle is fun and kids respond to his particular brand of joy.

And now, he is bringing the Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party Tour to excited kids of all ages.

In fact, there has been a huge demand for Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party Tour, with a fifth Melbourne show announced! The response to this tour has been wonderful and this cements Jimmy’s reputation as one of Australia’s most popular children’s entertainers.

Jimmy Giggle is set to light up this festive season adding plenty of cheer to the holiday celebrations with the release of a brand new album, followed by live Christmas shows in Melbourne and Sydney. The magic of Christmas will come alive with Jimmy - joined by Hoot and Hootabelle, the super talented songstress Ali McGregor and a very special guest appearance from Santa and his elves - YES! They will be performing some of your favourite Christmas songs live on stage this December. These shows promise to be the highlight of the summer holidays for children and parents alike. And you know what it's like, parents! School and daycare holidays start, and boom: mum and dad need to be entertainment central.

For tour and ticketing details, visit: www.livenation.com.au.

There is also an exciting new album! Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party, just released.

This album features some very special Australian prominent artists and guest celebrities - see track listing below.

Tickets are selling fast for these very limited shows - be sure to get in quick!

JIMMY GIGGLE’S CHRISTMAS PARTY TOUR DATES:

THE CONCOURSE, CHATSWOOD: SATURDAY DECEMBER 19

ENMORE THEATRE: SUNDAY DECEMBER 20

SYDNEY ARTS CENTRE, MELBOURNE: MONDAY 21, TUESDAY 22 DECEMBER & WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW.

For complete tour and ticket information, visit:
www.abc.net.au/abcevents and www.livenation.com.au

AND! The Jimmy Giggle 'Christmas Party' album, available November 6.

Jimmy Giggle is set to light up Christmas adding plenty of cheer to your celebrations with the release of a new album.

2015 ARIA award winning nominee, Jimmy Giggle, has teamed up with some very special guest celebrities and prominent Australian artists, such as David Campbell, Tina Arena, Justine Clarke, Deb Mailman, FiFi Box, Kate Miller Heidke, Ali McGregor and Lah Lah to deliver you and your family the Christmas album of the year. Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party is chockoblock full of covers of everyone’s favourite Christmas carols, plus a few reworks and originals, including: Deck The Halls, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the snow man and many more. All these favourites will have will have the whole family singing along and having a hoot of time for this years festive season!

Giggle and Hoot is an award winning ABC TV children’s show starring best friends Jimmy Giggle, Hoot the Owl and Hoot’s best owl pal, Hootabelle. Giggle and Hoot focuses on preschoolers lives and routines through friendship, laughter, imagination and music. It airs every day on ABC4Kids and reaches over 2million people each week across 5 metro cities.
Purchase now at ABC Shops.

Tracklisting:

1. Jingle Bells (FiFi Box)
   
2. Rudolph The Red nose Reindeer (Hoot)
   
3. Santa Clause is coming to Town (Deb Mailman)
   
4. Deck the Halls (Tina Arena)
   
5. Frosty the Snowman (Lah Lah)
   
6. Jimmy’s Christmas Present
   
7. Jingle Bell Rock (Ali McGregor)
   
8. Twelve Days of Christmas - Giggle Style (Ali McGregor, Lah Lah,
   Hoot & Hootabelle)
   
9. (Everybody’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag (David Campbell)
   
10. ZatyouSantaClaus?(JustineClarke)
    
11. SilentNight(KateMillerHeidke)
    
12. WeWishYouAMerryChristmas(DavidCampbell,JustineClarke
    & Deb Mailman)
    
    For more: www.abcmusic.com.au
    
    And here is the cute as album cover:
    

Stevie Jacobs: Minions ‘Summer Entertainment’ VIDEO + DVD release

Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has partnered with everyone’s favourite 'Today' weatherman and father of two, Stevie Jacobs, to star alongside the Minions in a new video designed  to help parents keep their kids entertained this summer. Here is the reel, below, with more info on the Minions mission:

Research shows that children gain understanding about the world by seeing, touching, tasting, smelling, moving and hearing. According to the National Quality Framework*, we can enhance the choice and quality of learning experiences by supporting flexible use and interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Understanding the importance of balancing indoor and outdoor play in childhood development, the new Minions ‘Summer Entertainment’ video provides parents with some tips to help inspire their kids to experience Australia’s great outdoors this summer.

Stevie Jacobs said, “We are on the road a lot and are fortunate enough to take our girls with us. We always see every outing not just as an adventure, but as an opportunity for Isabelle and Frenchy to learn something new.”

“Using the Minions as an avenue to talk to children, on a level they understand, will no doubt inspire them to want to get outside and explore Australia’s beautiful beaches and national parks, or create their own family adventure.”

From bobbing for ducks at a theme park to jumping into waterfalls on a hike and visiting Australia’s iconic landmarks, like the Minions’ favourite The Big Banana, Stevie has enlisted the help of everyone’s favourite yellow henchmen to provide some easy-to-understand tips that families can follow to ensure little minds are engaged and inspired to go exploring.

The video, featuring the Jacobs family including Stevie, wife Rose and kids Isabella (4) and Francesca (2) and the Minions, can be seen on The Viewing LoungeYouTube page. Minions is out now on 3D Blu-ray™, Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital with UltraViolet™.

Listed below are top tips to keep kids entertained this summer, curated by Stevie Jacobs and the Minions. WE LOVE THEM ALL!

1. If you’re feeling like a dare devil, grab the family and hit up one of Australia’s theme parks:
   • Zoom around on a roller coaster
   • Challenge your family at bobbing for ducks
   • Laugh at yourselves in the Mirror Maze
   • Take in the view from the Ferris Wheel
   • Finish your day with a banana ice cream – that’s if the mischievous Minions don’t eat them first!

2. Warm your vocal chords with the best travel songs or games to play on a road trip:
   • 10 green bottles sitting on a wall
   • Wheels on the bus
   • Eye-spy with my little eye
   • 20 questions
   • Play who can spot the Minion yellow cars?

3. Spend a day at the beach:
   • Play a game of family cricket
   • Grab a board and learn to surf – make sure you follow the surf safety tips!
   • Build a Minion sized sandcastle
   • Play a game of tag and run down the sand dunes
   • Have a beach BBQ

4. Take a family hike in a national park:
   • Pack your bag and go hiking – don’t forget your boots, hat and lots of water to explore the great outdoors
   • Play a game of spot the animals and see if you can find some friendly Australian wildlife hiding in the trees
   • Find a canyon, open your lungs and play a of Mr Echo (Echo Echo)
   • Find a waterfall, pop your bathers on and jump right in!
   • Spend a night camping under the stars

5. Visit Australia’s iconic landmarks:
   • Awe at the sails of the Sydney Opera House
   • Have a snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef – bring your stinger suit!
   • Visit one of Australia’s famous zoos
   • Don your Akubra and hit the outback
   • Head up to Coffs Harbour and explore the BIG BANANA!

More about The National Quality Framework:

The National Quality Framework (NQF) is the result of an agreement between all Australian governments to work together to provide better educational and developmental outcomes for children using education and care services. As part of the 2015-16 Budget, the Australian Government allocated $61.1 million over three years to June 2018 to support states and territories to implement the NQF. For more information, see here.

More about 'Minions':

The breakout stars the world fell in love with in Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me global film franchise headline their own movie for the first time in Minions, available on 3D Blu-ray™, Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital with UltraViolet™ now.

Since the dawn of time, Minions have served (and accidentally eliminated) history’s most despicable villains. With the tribe on the brink of collapse, three unlikely heroes - Kevin, Stuart, and Bob - embark on a journey to find a new big boss. When their quest leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award(R) winner Sandra Bullock), our three heroes must face their biggest challenge yet: saving all of Minionkind... from annihilation!. 

Caesarean section + baby PHOTO - VIRAL PIC

A raw photograph of a mother and her baby just three days after birth by caesarean section has been over 59,000 times on Facebook.

Helen Aller, who is eight months pregnant, took the black and white photo of the unnamed woman - who was scared of having a C-section - and her newborn lying next to her C-section wound.

Helen shared it online on her page Helen Carmina Photography, and it has since been seen 11.5 million times and liked by over 200,000.

Helen, who is a mother of two, posted on Facebook: "I didn't expect this image to reach so far."

See her full caption and the photo below:

EDIT: I didn't expect this image to reach so far. I understand everyone has their own opinion which they are entitled to, all I ask is that comments are not rude or hurtful and are kept respectful. If it is not to your taste please hide it from your newsfeed.Thank you!!

I photographed this mama's pregnancy a while back and she was telling me how terrified she was of having a c-section. Well last week she went into labor but had to have an emergency c-section after complications. She asked me to come over this morning and shoot this particular image as her worst nightmare proved to be what saved her and her child's lives.

Please feel free to share and tag image, however please do not crop alter or remove watermark.
www.helencarminaphotography.com

Caption: Helen Carmina Photography
One lovely mama from way across the pond just sent me this and I think it sums up completely what a lot of us need to remember......thank you Victoria Secret-Garden ❤

David Beckham: "...you have no right to criticize me as a parent…"

You tell 'em, David Beckham.

In Australia, we say this: mind your own beeswax.

Responding to an article in The Daily Mail, with the jarring headline:

Why does Harper, four, still use a dummy? Experts warn David and Victoria Beckham's little girl may end up with 'speech or dental issues' if she continues to use one.

In reply, just a few hours ago, David posted this on his Instagram:

Why do people feel they have the right to criticize a parent about their own children without having any facts ?? Everybody who has children knows that when they aren't feeling well or have a fever you do what comforts them best and most of the time it's a pacifier so those who criticize think twice about what you say about other people's children because actually you have no right to criticize me as a parent ...

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://instagram.com/p/6NZyxMTWdt/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Why do people feel they have the right to criticize a parent about their own children without having any facts ?? Everybody who has children knows that when they aren&#39;t feeling well or have a fever you do what comforts them best and most of the time it&#39;s a pacifier so those who criticize think twice about what you say about other people&#39;s children because actually you have no right to criticize me as a parent ...</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by David Beckham (@davidbeckham) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2015-08-10T16:23:24+00:00">Aug 10, 2015 at 9:23am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

Kardashian Kids at Big W: PHOTOS

You probably saw on the various news outlets that the kool kat of the Kardashian Klan Khloe Kardashian was in Australia, and she was spuiking the new Kardashian Kids range… guess what, you guys: it's super cute!

Kardashian Kids - the lovable children’s apparel collection designed by Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian West and Khloé Kardashian - has just launched online and will be instore at Big W on August 6, 2015.

“My sisters and I are perfectionists, especially with our kids' line. We want the clothes to be chic and stylish, but also items that will actually be worn and played in,” says Kourtney Kardashian. “Design details like fabrics, structure, waistbands and hems are all equally as important to us as what the clothes look like.”

Here are the pics of the range, then read on for more:

Says the blurb:

The highly anticipated range for little girls features an assortment of adorable designs from every day styles to special occasion items including woven broderie lace dresses with rose gold button finishes, playful soft tulle skirts with rose gold foil polka dot details, loveable one-pieces with girly tulle ruffles and two piece sets in fun geometric prints.

“We thought, if our own kids want to dress in tutus or try on our clothes, why
don’t we give kids stylish outfits that are super cute, but also reflect styles that their moms would wear? ‘Mommy and me’ style is everywhere right now! The white lace dress, bomber jacket and peplum top are all pieces that could match mom’s looks,” adds Kim Kardashian West.

In addition to offering exclusive Australian styles, the debut Australian range will be the only Kardashian Kids collection worldwide to offer designs up to size 7T for little girls.

“We are delighted to welcome Kardashian Kids to BIG W. The collection is a wonderful addition to our existing children’s range, and a great example of providing our customers access to great brands and beautiful styles at everyday low prices,” comments Alison Jones, General Manager of Marketing, BIG W Australia.

“We're really proud to have a collection that is simple, stylish, functional and in great fabrics and shapes,” says Khloé Kardashian. “Most importantly, it's a fun collection that little girls will love. We want to make fashion fun for them!”

The Kardashian Kids Spring 2015 range for little girls will be available from size newborn (000-24mnths) to Toddler (3-7yrs) and retail from $20 to $35 exclusively online at BIG W starting July 28 and inside BIG W stores nationwide starting the August 6.

Fans can stay up-to-date on the latest Kardashian Kids news by following on
Facebook (facebook.com/kardashiankids), Instagram (@kardashiankids) and Twitter (@KardashianKids) 

Annie Nolan: Sign On Twins VIRAL PHOTO

Going viral.

Annie Nolan, a blogger who is married to AFL player Liam Picken, has posted this photo on social media, with the caption below, and it has been shared over 20,000 times from her page.

I REALLY wanted to leave these signs on the pram today. As a twin mum, you get asked a series of questions/hear a series of statements EVERYTIME you go out. I know most people are coming from a great place and are just curious however many can be quite intrusive and after a while it's just plain exhausting. And since I was heading into the city, I knew the questions would be coming thick and fast... but I chickened out on the train and took them off! 

P.S- it is a joke people 😜

‪#‎twinlyfe‬ ‪#‎twins‬ ‪#‎twinquestions‬ ‪#‎doubletrouble‬ ‪#‎cliches‬ ‪#‎delphiandcheska‬

Since her post has gone viral, she has posted this:

Delphi and Cheska leaving the house for the first time since their 15mins of facebook fame ‪#‎delphiandcheska‬ ‪#‎twins‬

And more recently, Annie posted this:

You know that feeling when a little in-joke between friends turns international? Yeah, nah? Well that is what I am feeling at the moment! Hahahaha. Liam leaves me for 4 days and his kids end up in the British News. Whoops! 

PS- the headline is tad exaggerated probably to encourage people to click on it. I'm not fed up at all! It was a joke gone a little mad. My twins are MY FAVOURITE TOPIC to talk about! 

PPS- The trolls and haters are way more fierce than footy crazies! Haha. Love it 😜

PPPS- Hi lovely English men and women! Thanks for your support. My best friend was born there and her family are from there (Manchester) so thank you for providing me with such a beautiful soul. Lots of love to you all xx

Me? As a twin mum, for a LONG while after I gave birth to my twins I was asked if twins run in my family, which I honestly think that sometimes it was just an alternate way of people asking: did you use IVF? I can hereby publicly acknowledge that no… I did not use IVF. Yes I had sex with my husband to create my twins. See? What does it matter anyway! And ewww, too much information for you, isn't it? Yes, I agree.

Also, when people immediately assume I delivered them via a c-section, I obviously feel the need to clarify: no, it was not a cesarean, yes it was a vaginal birth, yes I was given an epidural, yes I am a champion, and yes, so are all the women who gave birth via c-section. So there. (I DO love the reactions of women when I tell them I pushed two out, though; they are genuinely encouraging and impressed… and yes, I felt like I could conquer the world afterwards).

Did I mind all the questions about my twins themselves? NO, I loved it. I loved telling anyone - friends, colleagues, the checkout assistant, the taxi driver - that I was having twins, and after their birth, I was so proud to talk about them to anyone who would listen. Did I get tired of it? Not really. And no, my twins CAN'T be identical because… they are a boy and a girl.

Do I understand Annie's post? Yes, I do. Because guess what? It's HER experience and hers alone. She adds some humour to it, and is really not hurting anyone. Let's not make it about us, about infertility, about anything other than what was a private post (what's private on social media though? Nothing!) which has now gone viral.

Hilaria Baldwin: Post-Baby PHOTO

Hilaria Baldwin has just posted a pic of herself online… two days after giving birth to second child, a son Rafael.

Rafael joins sister Carmen, 21 months - both the children of Hilaria and actor Alec Baldwin. Alec also has an adult daughter, Ireland - her mother is Kim Basinger.

Back to the photo below… Hilaria is in her knickers and a bra, just a  few days post delivery:

She captioned it, on Instagram:

Update on us... Rafael is doing wonderfully! He is two days old now. Such a sweet little boy. I'm feeling well, been up with him every hour to two hours. I have been planning on doing post belly photos but didn't know if I was gonna have the guts to actually follow through. I hope you understand my intention here: I believe it is important to accept and love our form after going through a bit of a battle bringing life into this world. Deep breath, here we go...all the way from my glamorous hospital bathroom 😘 #ShrinkingBaldwinBabyBump#NoShame #LoveYourBody

It joins another realistic post-baby body: Kate Middleton…

...although, no… she didn't pose in a selfie in her undies and bra), but it proves that just after a baby is born (and likely for a long time afterwards), a woman will have a decent sized tummy bulge, and it is SO normal. Um, hello… you just grew a human! In my case, I grew two (5.3kgs worth of babies).

And so, yes. What Hilaria has posted is positive. Who cares if she looks super cute and her legs and arms are small and her hair is lovely… she is a pretty woman and was pretty before the birth too, and has a lovely body when she is and isn't pregnant (she's also a yoga teacher, BTW).

So, no social media bashing, please. Onya, Hilaria.

You wouldn't have seen me in my in undies, but this post is not about me, it's about Hilaria.

Petition aims to ban baby ear-piercing: why I won't sign

I have signed online petitions before. Yes, I have.

Mainly when people seek to change laws concerning kids and animals, anything relating to violence against women. Gay rights. You know, meaningful things.

But this.

I truly can't even.

And I don't say 'can't even.'

A petition which aims to ban baby ear-piercing?

It strangely makes me think of 'Mean Girls': "stop trying to make 'fetch' happen."

As it applies to this: stop trying to make us 'outraged' about something that has nothing to do with you. Stop trying to make something that is not relevant to you happen.

Piercing my daughter's ears? Butt out.

I had my daughter's ears pierced when she was about five months old. And I think I left it too late!

For us (and by us, I mean people of Italian background), it's a cultural thing.

My mother had my ears pierced when I was young.

It involved my mother, my godmother, my aunt… and some metho.

And guess what? I don't remember it.

Isn't that the whole point? It's done when you're too young to recall the pain?

This petition wants to:

Make it illegal for babies/toddlers to get their ears pierced. Set a minimum legal age requirement.

They say:

Why is this important?

It is a form of child cruelty. Severe pain and fear is inflicted upon infants unnecessarily. It serves no purpose other than to satisfy the parent's vanity. Other forms of physically harming children are illegal- this should be no different.

I don't even know where to start with this. So I will start here: 'cruelty'. 'Parent's vanity.' 'Illegal'.

As my parents used to say, "Fatti i cazzi tuoi."

Which means, "Mind your own effing business."

It's almost funny, this petition. As funny as sending it to Italy and South America where piercing is the norm, and is done sometimes before the baby leaves hospital.

The Italians and South Americans can have a chuckle over their caffe, over your concern for their child.

'How A Baby Is Made' - The 1975 Book Going Viral: PHOTOS

The birds and the bees.

This book.

Nope.

Kiddies - we have to teach them someday about where babies comes from (*dread*) and this 1975 book 'How a Baby Is Made' was written to show them every step of the process. Very graphically.

The book, written by Danish author, teacher, and psychotherapist Per Holm Knudsen chronicles the whole process of making a child, from conception to birth (get ready for those pics) with frank words and lovely illustrations.

Why is this now viral?

Facebook user Crysta-Mai Elassaad posted these pics to Facebook - and now they have been shared over 134,000 times.

Oh, and you can buy the book here! Got $270 spare…?

Enjoy: